NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hit the airwaves bright and early Thursday morning as he jumped on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" primarily to discuss the NFL's stance on player safety, but Goodell did discuss briefly the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal and the contract of suspended Saints Coach Sean Payton.

Goodell said he hasn't focused much of his attention on the proceedings in the Saints bounty scandal since he handed the appeals process off to former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who Goodell appointed as the lead officer after Goodell recused himself from the process. Goodell also shed no new light on the timetable as to how long the Saints appeals process will take saying it's all up to Tagliabue.

Goodell also said there was an element of Payton's contract that the league wouldn't approve leading to the NFL voiding Payton's three-year extension making Payton a free agent after the 2012 season. Goodell said a new contract is now up to the Saints and Payton. Goodell said the league has given permission for both sides to negotiate a new deal under certain restrictions considering Payton has a no-contact policy as part of his season-long suspension connected to the bounty scandal. Goodell said the two sides are negotiating at this time.

Goodell said he hasn't focused much of his attention on the proceedings in the Saints bounty scandal since he handed the appeals process off to former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who Goodell appointed as the lead officer after Goodell recused himself from the process. Goodell also shed no new light on the timetable as to how long the Saints appeals process will take saying it's all up to Tagliabue.